Chevalier Paul was briefly deployed to Scotland in early 1940 to support the Allied forces in the Norwegian Campaign, but returned to the Mediterranean in time to participate in Operation Vado, a bombardment of Italian coastal facilities after Italy entered the war in June.

During her sea trials on 3 March 1934, Chevalier Paul's Parsons turbines provided 70,575 PS (51,908 kW; 69,610 shp) and she reached 39.1 knots (72.4 km/h; 45.0 mph) for a single hour.

The ships carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph).

They were also fitted with a pair of depth-charge throwers, one on each broadside abreast the aft funnels, for which they carried a dozen 100-kilogram (220 lb) depth charges.

The Navy reconsidered its anti-submarine warfare tactics after the war began in September and intended to reinstate the depth-charge throwers, although these were an older model than the one previously installed; Chevalier Paul had not received hers before her loss.

[7] She was laid down at their La Seyne-sur-Mer shipyard on 28 February 1931, launched on 21 March 1932, commissioned on 1 June 1934 and entered service on 24 August 1934.

[10] On 27 August 1939, in anticipation of war with Nazi Germany, the French Navy planned to reorganize the Mediterranean Fleet into the FHM of three squadrons.

On 24–27 April, the ship escorted Convoy FP-2 conveying the 27th Demi-Brigade of Mountain Infantry to Harstad, Norway, to join the Battle of Narvik.

The 5th Scout Division returned to Toulon on 27 May in anticipation of the Italians joining the war as the Mediterranean Fleet was prepared to attack them.

Chevalier Paul and the rest of the 5th Scout Division were among the ships ordered to attack targets in Vado Ligure on 14 June.

[11] The Vichy French government reestablished the FHM on 25 September after it negotiated rules limiting the force's activities and numbers with the Italian and German Armistice Commissions.

He had requested permission from the Germans and Italians to do so via radio message which the British decoded and alerted them to the ship's mission and route.